satisfied and you feel a great deal of comfort in the way you take to worship God and have the testimony of your Conscience that you do act sincerely and as you think for the glory or God But how easily may Men flatter and deceive themselves with such pretences Do not Jews and Mahometans all Hereticks and Schismaticks pretend the same And are not many of them fully as Zealous and consident in their way and do they not as much condemn you in their thoughts as you can them Nay those that killed the Apostles thought they did God service So that to rely upon an inward satisfaction Joh. 16.2 the pretence of Conscience without solid reason and foundation in Gods word is the common mistake that deludes the greatest part of Mankind If ever then you hope to appear with comfort before God you must lay aside fancy and perswasion and examine both your Faith and your Lives according to the holy Scriptures If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel in part or in whole or neglect any part of This let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 When our Saviour began to preach this was the Summ of his Doctrine Repent and relieve the Gospel Mar. 1.15 When he sent his Apostles into the world it was with this large Commission Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15 16. St Paul afterwards speaking of the Day of Judgment Says God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 Again Christ Jesus shall he revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power The Gospel does not only contain promises but precepts duties as well as rewards And therefore our Saviour when he is asked what a man should do to be saved gives this answer If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Again if ye love me keep my Commandments St James says whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 This contains all articles of our Creed and all other Christian duties we must not think then our Zeal for one duty will excuse our neglect of another we must not so much regard what we have done but supply that we have not done If through errour or mistake any have lived in Schism Heresie Disobedience or breach of any other command he must repent and amend for no confidence and self conceit can justifie us before God while we live in neglect of our Duty Obedience to Governours and love and unity with our fellow Christians necessary Duties of the Gospel AS our Saviour came into the World to reform the errours and vices of corrupt Nature and teach Men the principles of Peace and Vertue so in his Gospel he has given most severe commands of mutual love and obedience to his Bishops and Governours because without it there would be nothing but ignorance and errour quarrels and confusion and as it was in the Jewish Nation when there was no King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes so it will be in the Church where there are no Governours or none that are hearkened to or regarded every man will follow the devices of his own heart Therefore when he founded his Church the first thing he does is to appoint Governours with power not only to shut out of his Church but out of Heaven all those that contemn their authority and will not be governed by them Matt. 16.18 19. Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shalt be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And though in this place it be promised to St Peter to shew that each single Bishop had that power in his respective charge whilst he lives in communion with and conformity to the Church yet Matt. 18. it is said whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and when our Saviour actually bestows this power John 20.23 he gives it equally to all the Apostles whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Again he says he that receiveth you receiveth me he that rejecteth you rejecteth me and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me And when he was going into Heaven that he might fully provide for the order and government of his Church he gives his Apostles authority over the whole World to rule and to punish them as well as to teach and comfort them and this power is to last to the end of the World All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth go ye therefore into all the World make Disciples all Nations and lo I am with you alwayes unto the end of the World Matt. 28. The Apostle Hebr. 13. bids Christians remember them that have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow v. 7. again Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls v. 17. And 't is our Saviours express command if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican and then he adds to shew whom he means by the Church that 't is the Bishops and Governours of his Church whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Matt. 18.17 18. So that it is beyond all possible doubt that there are Bishops and Governours sent by Christ to continue to the end of the World and there is a Church that must be hearkened unto under peril of being shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven There must be a method and order observed in appointing the Bishops and Governours of the Church that Men may know whom they ought to obey and whose punishments they ought to avoid ALL Men confess in general that Christ has left Bishops and Governours in his Church but they are not all agreed who are those who have this Authority committed to them Now there must be some orderly method for our direction in this as well as other matters or else the Authority will signifie nothing and not attain that end for which it was appointed For if every body be left to follow whom he please then all censures and excommunications will come to nothing assoon as Men are shut out from one Pastor they will run to another if one will not comply with their humour they will go to another that will and so the Christian society which ought to be the
we do from these Men. Answ Perhaps their passionate way of speaking their Noise with now and then an affected Sigh and Groan may stir up a present passion in you as a good Actor at a Play does who can make the People cry and laugh when he will I hope therefore you will not say that the Actor is moved by the Spirit and those are all made Godly People that are thus moved and affected as to burst into Tears so that if you Judge of the soundness of your Religion by such outward Passions I fear the Player when he sets about it will make you believe he is the most Sanctified Preacher Setting then aside this which is no argument of the working of the Holy Spirit but an act of the Man and all the efficacy is lost in an hour or Two assoon as you come into Company or are taken up with business and other affairs You must not therefore Judge of your Religion by a sudden passion but by your sound understanding and steady performing all parts of your Duty Obj. But this cannot be a sudden Passion only in me but must be a real work of the Holy Spirit because I find a great change in my Life I am grown more sober read and meditate upon Gods Word and mind Religion more then I did before Answ But that is no Argament that you are in a safe way so long as you continue in Schism for when the Devil did find he could no longer ruine your Soul by open prophaness he now may tempt you to more secret Sins to more Spiritual wickedness which are as heinous in the sight of God and as dangerous to your Salvation Obj. We have satisfied our selves all along upon these accounts Answ But you see they are weak grounds to rely upon for all this while thô you are Zealous for some you may be wanting in many other necessary duties and you are guilty of Schism disobedience to Parents destroy all Discipline and Order in the Church encourage Atheism and Prophaness and endanger the safety both of Church and State meerly upon fancies and humours for I can call it no other because there is not One good thing that you can learn and observe there that you cannot as well have and practice in the communion of the Church Besides you act against the Sense of the Primitive Church and all other Churches in the World Obj. If it be so we are much mistaken and greatly abused by our Ministers Answ It is certainly so and while you follow such blind and erring guides no wonder if you fall into destruction Obj. We have been told by our Preachers and therefore did verily believe that the Ancient Church were Papists and when the Divines of the Church of England did talk to us of following the Doctrine and Government of the Ancient Church we thought it was only with a design to prepare the way to bring us to Popery Answ Now I hope you are satisfied that the Church of England is no wayes inclining to Popery but does endeavour to teach you your Duty according to the Holy Scriptures and further to confirm the Truth and soundness of their interpretation of Gods Word by the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and the generall Councils and tradition of the Catholick Church And this you may see if you read their late Writings they do as heartily maintain against the Church of Rome as they did before against the other Dissenters and Fanaticks Obj. I am very well satisfied now that the Men of the Church of England are far from being Papists but you tell me that all other Reformed Churches do approve of the Church of England and are ready to joyn with her in communion and condemn those for Schismaticks that set up separate Congregations Answ Yes I do so and if you will but advise with your Bishops and Ministers they will easily be able to prove it to your satisfaction You may read much to this purpose in my Evangelical and Catholick unity where you have the opinions of Luther Melancthon Bucer and Calvin in their own words to this purpose Obj. Then therein I perceive our Teachers have greatly abused us also Indeed I find many rational and sober Men of the Church of England and I believe there may be a great deal of Truth in what you say but yet they are of such a persecuting spirit that they will let no body live quietly by them that are not of their perswasion which we think to be a very ill temper not becoming the moderation of the Gospel Answ It is a sad thing that the Church of England which is the most gentle and moderate and does disclaim all cruelty and hard usage upon the account of Religion should now be accounted the greatest Persecutor as I perceive she is at this time People strangely forget themselves and the opinions and practices of their own Party when they lay such an accusation upon the Church of England which does disown any power of temporal punishment Obj. But there were many Statutes that did inflict severe penalties upon Dissenters Answ These are made by the State for the security of the Government for they finding Dissenters generally enemies to the publick Peace and endeavouring changes and alterations by Mutiny and Sedition saw it necessary by Penal Laws to restrain them from growing too numerous and to keep them within the bounds of their duty Obj. But does not the Church of England then allow of Penal Statutes Answ In a moderate way she does to make Men hear and consider but not to undoe them Obj. But surely Men need not to be used like Children they have discretion to mind their duty without being stirred up by punishments Answ They should have so but 't is plain that they have not Rom. 13. and therefore God Almighty has placed Governours and Officers to be a terrour to evil doers and a praise and an honour to them that do well and mind their duty Obj. Yes if punishments were inflicted on evil doers we should like that well but they punish Godly People because they will not go against their Conscience Answ Do you account then all the Idle Lazy people that lye at home and sleep or else sit drinking at Ale-houses in time of Divine Service and will never so much as take pains to understand their Catechism and bring their Children to be instructed in the Grounds of the Christian Religion Godly People Now 't is evident these idle and ignorant People unless they be stirred up by punishment will never give themselves the trouble to understand and do their duty and so will ruine their own and their Childrens Souls Obj. If you did punish only such idle and lazy People that did live like Heathens and require them and their Children to hear and do their duty no sober Man but must approve of such Discipline and will say such People deserve to be punished But you punish Godly People that do read
reap the greatest advantage by our Disorders As you therefore love God love your Country love your Childrens Souls keep them from Conventicles and be carefull in training them up in the constant Communion of the Church of England God does particularly commend Abraham because he did command his Children after him that they should keep the way of the Lord. Gen. 18 19. And Joshua does not only take care for himself but says As for Me and my House we will serve the Lord. Josh 24.15 And it is the Command of God in the New Testament Ephes 6.4 That you should bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord And what that is I have here set before you to prevent your falling into the Errours and Confusions of the times And how can you better spend your Dayes then in promoting the Glory of God and Peace and Love round about you and obtaining happiness for your Selves and Families to all Eternity God be thanked the Pious Zeal of the Sons of the Church has had so good effect in the City of London that daily Morning and Evening Prayers Weekly and Monthly Communions are Reverently and Devoutly celebrated and frequented in many Churches and Chappels I hope their good example will stir up People in the Countrey to change their careless behaviour to be reverent and constant in doing their Duty and attending the Prayers and Sacraments of the Church Calvin de necess Reform Eccles LET them give us such an Hierarchy in which Bishops have such a preheminency that they do not refuse to be subject to Christ wherein they depend upon him as their only Head and are referred unto him in which let them maintain Brotherly Charity one with another and be united together with no other Bond than of his Truth Then I will confess there is no Anathema that they are not guilty of if there be any such that do not observe it Reverently and with the highest Obedience Calv. de vera Reformand Ration That no Man may raise a Calumny against us that we are too morose and froward concerning external things and do so precisely take away all Liberty I do here testifie that I do not contend about Ceremonies which serve for Order and Decency or else are Simbols and Incitements of that Reverence which we pay to God Calv. Ep. 87. Protect Angl. I do highly approve that there should be a certain Form of Prayer and Ecclesiastical Rites from which it should not be Lawfull for Pastors themselves to discede or vary 1. That provision may be made for some Peoples ignorance and unskilfullness 2. That the consent of all Churches amongst themselves may more plainly appear 3. That Order may be taken against the desultory lightness of such who delight in innovations Thus there ought to be an established Catechism an established Administration of Sacraments and also a Publick Form of Prayer THE Necessity of adhering TO The Church of ENGLAND as by Law established c. I Hope I have made it evident to you that I have a tender regard for the glory of God and the good of your Souls by the great pains and the charge I was at to send you Books to stir you up and direct you to the serious practice of the duty of Godliness for t is not hearing all the Sermons and melting discourses in the world can bring you to Heaven unless you do truly Love God with all your heart Deut. 6.5 Matt. 22.37 with all your soul with all your mind and with all your strength which is not done by running now and then into a Conventicle and sighing and groaning at a passionate expression of the Preacher but by a constant and steady doing of your Duty There are in the world many errours in opinion destructive of salvation and there are more in practice But of late years since my coming to this Office our Churches have been much more filled and the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper better frequented and the generality of the People seemed to be very well satisfied with the Doctrine and discipline of the Church of England as by Law established and there need nothing but a hearty conformity to the rules and order of it to make us all instruments of Gods glory here on earth and happy to all eternity in the kingdom of Heaven And that I might more effectually perswade you to live in all Christian obedience to the will of God I thought some motives to the duty of Godliness with short directions and prayers would be a means to make you more ready and willing to lead a holy and Religious life This was my real design and intention in sending that little Book amongst you which if you would often and carefully read over and observe the directions contained in it you would and more solid comsort and satisfaction upon your death bed or when you come to examine into the hopes you have of Salvation then in all the passionate Sermons that ever you heard in a Conventicle for then you would do your duty as God hath commanded you whereas now most men content themselves with hearing only and that not as they ought to doe neither and so deceive their own selves Jam. 1.22 Since the coming abroad of that little Book when I thought I had little else to do but to call upon you to do your duty which you did already own and profess I am how put upon another care by the change of affairs in the State in order to the faithful discharge of my Office that is to endeavour to recall some and secure others in the unity and communion of the Church now when you are ready to hear every new Man that sets up in a Conventicle and read erroneous books to lead you to destruction I hope you will read and consider what your Spiritual Governours who have as great a concern for your good as They have a blind Zeal for your hurt have to say for the truth and your obedience to the Laws of the Gospel And 't is from the earnest desire I have of your peace and welfare and the salvation of your Souls that I do now again apply my self to you and require you as you will answer it at the Day of judgement when I must give an account how I have done my duty to was do you seriously to consider how you that run into schism will answer this Charge which I now draw up against you when the scoffs and jears of your Leaders the all I urements and threatnings of your companions and of your friends in errour will stand you in no stead but you must each stand by your selves to be Judged at the day of your death according to the word of God which I now offer to your consideration The pretence of Conscience and being satisfied in their way without assurance from the Scriptures is an unsafe foundation I Know it is the temper of many of you to say we are
to read through and consider the meaning of the Scriptures so as to be able to satisfie themselves in all doubts and scruples that cunning Hereticks raise to pervert them from the Truth Therefore Christ Jesus left Pastors and Teachers and founded a Church to continue a constant Pillar and Monument to expound to us all difficult and hard places and to condemn and censure false interpretations and stop the mouths of Seducers from spreading abroad damnable Heresies to the ruine of your Souls and then that her Authority might not be despised Matt. 18. The Scripture says if any one refuse to hear the Church let him be unto Thee as an Heathen man and a Publican And for our better encouragement to hearken to her instruction our Lord has promised that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it Matt. 16. And then to direct the unlearned and unstable he has set Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.11 12 13 14. for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we may henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive c. So that we do not take off from the fullness and sufficiency of the Scriptures if rightly expounded and understood but for the satisfaction of the unlearned and unstable which are the greatest part of Mankind we must remember that God has kept up a Church and constant succession of Bishops and Ministers in an Orderly way to teach us the true meaning of his Word and to keep up Discipline and Order and so to preserve us from the Heresies and false Interpretations of Schismaticks that lead Men unto errour and destruction While Men therefore keep within the City they are in no danger of being a prey to the wild Beasts but if they run into a Wilderness they may easily be destroyed by them While they keep within the Ship they are secure from drowning but if they forsake that and commit themselves to the unconstant Waves 't is Ten Thousand to One if they do not miscarry So while Men keep within the Communion of the Church and follow the guidance of those Pastors which God has appointed to keep them steady there is no danger of their Salvation but if they forsake the Church and run into Conventicles Psal 91.11 they go out of Gods way and so out of his protection and are exposed to all Heresie and Confusion If their Teachers do not Sin wilfully and lead them into Heresie yet they may mislead them through ignorance and unskilfullness WHO can tell how oft he offendeth nay the Heart above all things is deceitfull therefore 't is an easie matter for Men that follow the guidance of their own understanding and neglect the command of the Church to be deluded by the Devil who often appears as an Angel of Light and yet is still busie to seek whom he may devour Neither can they hope for the blessing of God and depend upon the promise of his direction when they go into by Pathes and pursue their own devices How many plain things may such presumptuous Men overlook how often may they misunderstand some parts of Gods word which want more care and attention Besides who can be sure that they come with all Languages and other helps to reading them or take such pains to read and compare all Texts as not to be ignorant in many duties of great necessity to be observed And if the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch And no wonder if People perish for want of vision when they wilfully run away from the instruction of the Church and follow such ignorant guides who had need to be taught the first Principles of humility and understanding Thô therefore by good Words and fair Speeches they may deceive the hearts of the Simple and may gather many excellent expressions out of the Holy Scriptures yet 't is a great rashness and want of Judgment for Men to trust their Souls upon the skill and understanding of such private Seducers who by their ignorance may leave them without that sufficient instruction which is necessary to Salvation Objections and Questions against Conformity answered BUT some will Object that their setting up Conventicles in opposition to the Bishops and Ministers is no more then what the Bishops did in opposition to the Church of Rome and therefore if they are Schismaticks now the Bishops were also by Reforming the Church without the Authority of the Pope and Church of Rome I answer By the Council of Nice and all other general Councils and the constant Order of the Catholick Church all Provincial and National Churches have power to Govern themselves and reform any abuses or errours that have crept into their Communion And our Bishops and Clergy did in an Orderly way lay aside several errours that are maintained by the Church of Rome but still retain the Faith and unity of the Catholick Church and we do also particularly blame the Roman Church for breaking the Order and rejecting the Traditions of the Primitive Fathers and general Councils but do not at all break the Rule of Christian Charity to the Church of Rome or any other Church in the World we leave them to Reform and Govern their own Churches and do but use the same Liberty over our own Members which Christ has given and the Church has ever maintained which we allow them to use over those of their own Communion for they ought to Reform those abuses as we have done Obj. But is there not a plain rent and division made in the Church by this Reformation and those that were united before in One Communion are broken into several parties Answ That there are and must be Heresies and Schisms in the Church we are taught by the Holy Scriptures 1 Cor. 11.19 That they which are approved may be made manifest But we cannot answer for other Men it is sufficient we break Charity with no body we pay all Love and friendship and all that communion that one particular Church ought to pay to another but we do not intermeddle with their private affairs or disturb and embroyl their Communion and if the Church of Rome and other Churches that hold with her would keep the same temper that we have and still do we should quickly see an end of all our Divisions Can. 30. for we differ from none but where they differ from themselves and depart from the Primitive purity of those Ancient and Apostolical Churches from whence they had their beginning And as for that Obedience and Conformity which we require of our own Members it is no other and upon far
she is a very corrupt part of it and those of that Communion that amongst us set up separate Assemblies do oppose the constant tradition of the Catholick Church the Canons of the generall Councils and follow a private Spirit and are as proper Schismaticks as any of our Fanaticks and Dissenters Obj. But those of the Church of Rome do not only charge us with Disobedience to the Pope but with Heresie and false Doctrine in rejecting many Articles of Faith and other Ancient practices of the Church Answ But if you will consult your Bishops and Ministers they will make it appear that the Points we reject are so far from being Articles of Faith and ancient practices that they are Moddern errours and corruptions not known to or else condemned by the Primitive Church and this we may see evidently made out by severall late Writings and Disputes Obj. I am glad to hear you say the Catholick Church does plainly condemn the Usurpations and Errours of the Church of Rome as well as the Scriptures which seem plainly against them and we think against many Orders of the Church of England also that are meer Humane inventions if not old Popish Superstitions which we cannot Lawfully joyn withall and therefore are forced to serve God in such a Manner as we can and which we think is better pleasing to Him thô in separate Congregations Answ Humane Inventions and Popish Superstitions are frightfull words indeed but so you must remember are Slanderers Schismaticks Hereticks and disobedient to Parents c. as all those are that accuse the Church and cannot prove what they say Obj. But our Preachers have told us that these Orders of the Church are Popish Anti-christian c. and therefore our Consciences would condemn us if we should comply with them Answ But will you run into so great Sins against the plain Word of God because your Preachers tell you so I thought the Word of God had been your Rule but now I perceive you follow your Preachers against the Word of God and will not obey your Governours according to it Obj. We think our Preachers are Good and Holy Men and Teach us the Truth Answ Why should you not have as good an opinion of your Bishops and Ministers But when the Preachers take upon them thus to draw you into Schism Disobedience and teach you to have uncharitable thoughts of your Governours and to condemn the Church and fellow Christians you ought to suspect if not their honesty yet their Judgment and Discretion for they are Men and may be transported by Passion and Interest or else through errour and mistake and lead you into heinous Sins For why should you think them wiser and better then all other Divines Obj. But I hope still they teach us right Answ But it is not enough to say you hope you must be sure the Governours of the Church are in the wrong or else you are in a most miserable condition to run your selves into so many Sins and dangers by separating from them Obj. But my Conscience tells me I am in the right Answ But 't is not your Conscience will excuse you unless you have some Command of God to build upon Now turn your Bible over and over you will not find any thing in the Scripture against any duty required by the Church Obj. But pray where have you any Command of God for your Common-Prayer and Ceremonies Answ We are commanded in Scripture to make Prayers and Supplications for all Men 1 Tim. 2.1 and to see that all things be done Decently and in Order and since the Words and Ceremonies are not determined in Scripture 't is better the Governours should consider and make Rules and Orders then to leave it to every bodies Fancy so that we have command in Scripture for what we do But pray where have you any command of God for your irreverent Prayers and disorder in Gods service Obj. Why do you call our Prayers and Service irreverent and disorderly Answ Because they are so and cannot be generally otherwise for when every Preacher is to follow his own heated and Rambling fancy and every Hearer is lest to Sit or Kneel or Stand or Lye along to put on his Hat or put it off what can commonly be expected but irreverence and disorder Obj. As for these Modes Gestures and Postures which you call Irreverent we matter not them Answ But thô you matter them not yet the Scripture does require all things should be done Decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14.40 and we find that our Saviour and his Apostles did kneel down and shew all outward Reverence and therefore we think the Church of England has good reason to require People to imitate their examples in behaving themselves Reverently and Orderly when they are in the House of God and not let their Service be more rude there then when they are at their houses at home so that nothing is commanded in this kind but what civility and good breeding would teach Men to observe and for which we have the command of God and the example of Christ and his Apostles and other Holy Men. Obj. Perhaps it would be better if People were more Reverent at their Meetings Answ But how can that be expected when all your Prayers and the whole Performance is left to the Arbitrary pleasure and discretion of every Preacher amongst you who are Men and those none of the ablest neither and may err and be ignorant Obj. But we think they Pray by the Spirit Answ What do you mean by Praying by the Spirit do you mean that the Holy Ghost does put all those words immediately into their Mouths and so they use no other Prayers but what are dictated by the Holy Ghost Obj. We do think so and our Preachers keep us up in that belief Answ But how do they prove this For if that be true all their Prayers are as Divine and Infallible as the Word of God it self For the Holy Ghost is as Infallible now as when he did guide the Apostles to write the Holy Scriptures But it is evident to all the World that these Prayers are often so far from being Divine that they sometimes are such as scarce become a sober Man Therefore you may see what Men your Preachers are that abuse you in this manner and cheat you with false stories if your Preachers are dictated by any Spirit 't is generally by the Spirit of delusion for it is not to be thought that the Holy Ghost will work a Miracle at every Conventicle to inspire every dissenting Preacher when ordinary gifts are sufficient not only for such but much more excellent Prayers And any One that will but attend those Meetings and weigh their Prayers with Judgment will find more of the errour and weakness of the Man then of the least evidence of the Holy Spirit Obj. But we have heard other Men Pray and Preach but could never find so much satisfaction and comfort as